The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-09-17

greater will be the prosperity Of the people &c
also believes that the system Is an umixed
blessing, that II has no burdens whatever. That
II increases the price OF every thing you have to
sell and chcapens the price OF every thing you
are compelled to buy, His views upon the sub
ject will be found IN an article written by him
and published In The Forum OF last month. In
this paper entitled '"The Return Of the Republi-
can Party" he gives us some remarkable
statements; one Is that "the od-time stock
argument Of the free-trader that tariff duties
are a tax on the consumer has been so CON-
pletely exploded by practical results that II Is
no longer heard Of, except only from those who
obstinately refuse to see the conclusive demon
strations to the contrary that abound on every
hand.'
Who does pay them he does not inform us.
He would confer a great blessing upon the
voters OF this State H. during this canvass, he
will undertake to explain how the taxes upon
the articles they consume are paid by some one
else.
Again he says that by virtue OF the blessings
of the tariff duties. the farmer finds that prnc-
tically everything he produces, from dozen
eggs to the finest horse on his farm, brings him
n price, when he sells IT, from fifty to two hun
dred per cent. higher than he ever dreamed OF
in frce-trade times. while. substantially every
domestic article he buys Is from fifty to two
nunurCu DCr cent. CueHDtT u11u Ut tIt SuIHt
from fifty to five hundred per cent. better in
quality" II is hard for the ordinary man to
understand how taxing an article improves its
quality. 1t is still harder to see how II Is posi-
bic to buy an article two hundred per cent
cheaper than the original cost, unless the sell
Ter gives 1t to you for nothing. and also the
original price in addition, rs q bonus tor taking
1t. II this can be done to-day, the best bus-
ness for any man to go into is the purchasing
of such articles as he can get at two hundred
per cent cheaper than they originally cost him.
1t is not necessary for me to wish my enemy
had written u book. He has already donett, or
at least part OF book, and commend 1t to ev-
cry Democrat as one Of the best campaign doc
uments we can circulate. Upon reading 1t any
intelligent man can that the claims upon
which he thinks the Republican party should be
returned to power do not exist in fact, and never
will exist and, therefore, 1t has no further mis-
sion. Again, the position taken by the Repub-
lican Convention would not only continue the
surplus revenue which now amounts to over .
hundred millions annually, but would very
materially increase it.
The only way to avoid continuing redund-
ancy OF revenue under such u system is to abol-
ish the entire tax upon spirits and liquors.
The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, the lead
ing organ of Governor Foraker, is now demand
ing the wiping out Of the entire internal reve-
nue. tax. AS he has not yet denied the paper
speaks with his authority 1t can be safely as.
sumed that he is in favor of taking all taxes
from whisky and tobacco. II he disagrees with
his organ, he should at once speak out and let
the fact be known
In both OF these propositions, In continuing
an unnecessary revenue, and in making whisky
bear no tax, the Republicans Of Ohio are stand
ing almost alone. 1t is position condemned
by their leading candidate for President. James
G. Blaine In a letter dated November -. 1889,
written to Charles Emory Smith. he says, in
speaking Of n continuing redundancy of ma
tional revenue: '"rhis is opposed to all sound
views of administration. The Government
wants just enough revenue. redundancy al.
ways leads to extravaganza, to many forms OF
corruption, and to all manner OF schemes for
/ getting rid OF the money! 1.-The time Is rapidly
approaching, however, when by the terms in
which the national debt is funded the payment
of the remainder must of necessity be post
poned for years. This brings us to the neces
sity of reducing the national revenue. The
present system of taxation is yielding more
than hundred millions beyond the amount re
quired for the ordinary expenses OF govern
ment Its reduction will soon become an i'm
pcrative duty Again, in the same letter, up
on the proposition to keep up an oppressive
system OF taxation, and let spirits go free, he
says:
THAT would be folly which no other Govern
ment in the world could, by any possibility,
commit The tax on spirits oppresses no one
1t is paid only by the consumer" So far US the
question Of disposng of a redundant revenue
and taxing spirits are concerned, this is the
only safe and sound position. The experience
of the civilized nations Of the world is that nc
two articles can so we'll and safely bear taxa
tion as spirits and tobacco Again in the Ma
tional platform of 1877. the Republican party
expressly declared that the tax upon tobacco
and liquors should be retained, us well as deriv
ing revenue upon importations.
The difference between the Democratic and
Republican parties in Ohio upon the question is
not only wide, but cl early marked. We believe
| the surplus now in the Treasury should be ap
piled to extinguishing the National debt or as
soon as it can be done. We believe that here
after no surplus should be permitted to accumu
| late: but taxation reduced as to raise nc
more money than the Government requires.
We believe the present tariff system is both un.
equal and unjust in its operations. We are in
| favor OF having it thoroughly revised and hon
estly reformed We are in favor of having
| 1t reduced that the revenue derived from
| it will not be more than sufficient to NEE,
| the expenses of the Government, the pay
ment of the interest and the principal of the
| public debt and pensions, which we have here
| tOfore, may hereafter grant to Union soldiers
| and sailors and their dependent relatives. We
| further favor making this reduction upon or
| ticles OF necessity, and which enter into gen
/ eral consumption, instead Of luxuries. o.
| course 1t will be impossible to enter into the de
tails OF the question in a general speech cover
| ing number Of subjects, hut in the course o.
| the campaign 1t will be thoroughly discussed II
| all its Details Us il Is subject which demand.
| and will receive large attention. wish to say
| however. that we not only favor what have al
| ready stated, but We demand that the reduction
| proposed shall be taken of from food clothing
| and articles consumed by every family insteat
OF spirits and liquors.
! OUR GREATNESS.
| Another proposition is undoubtedly true thai
| under such n system as we propose the devel
| opment OF our vast resources will greatly in
crease. We are now the largest agriculture
and manufacturing nation in the world, while
| in the sum of all industries we are ahead Of al
other nations. In 1880 our manufactured pro
| ducts exceeded Great Britain by $3.50 200, 900
| We have tho largest supplies Of raw material ii
| the world; wo have the cheapest fuel in our OK
haustless supplies Of cheap coal; we have al
the conditions necessary to give us the suprem
| acy as manufacturing people. Our own mar
| ket is not only fully supplied, but We have
| large and rapidly increasing surplus Of products
| and manufactures which to be sod must fint
| a foreign market. A reduction OF the tariff a
proposed would assist largely In removing tn,
barriers which now prevent or hinder the sal,
OF our products In foreign markets. Their re
moval will set capital in motion by the promis,
of better returns, enlarge the steady employ
ment and increase the wages OF laborers, an,
thus dii1use general prosperity.
THE LAND QUESTION.
BY another resolution, the Republican part
at Toledo, declared, that the public lands O
the United States should be sacredly held TO
the use and benefit OF actual settlers Alone"
This, means, when applied to actual facts, tina
they condemn the entire record OF the Rcpubl
can party while they were in control Of nationa